Pete Marchetto
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petemarchetto.bsky.social
Pete Marchetto
@petemarchetto.bsky.social
Boomer postpatriot Englishman, freelance writer in expat recovery (from China), of the social-democratic centre now deemed 'far left', Green Party member. Free sample ebook of short stories at:
https://petemarchetto290688881.wordpress.com/
🇬🇧 🇺🇦 🇵🇸 🇬🇪 🇪🇺 🏳️‍🌈
Pinned
Free sampler ebook, (with details of how to pay me at the end if you feel like it): 'Love Sideways', 3 unromantic romances.
petemarchetto290688881.wordpress.com
It's my understanding that was how Orbán first got elected, (I don't know what's happened since). It also seems to me Farage is experimenting with the idea.
February 12, 2026 at 1:50 AM
Wasn't that how Orbán got into office?
February 12, 2026 at 1:48 AM
On the principle that a plate of faeces beats an entire banquet of faeces?

Yes... I think we can indeed say that, I agree.
February 12, 2026 at 1:45 AM
Not happy with the flippant remarks in response to this. The research was diligent, well-conducted and academically rigorous. In this post-science world, we need to respect good research when we see it instead of making silly comments.
February 12, 2026 at 1:35 AM
Respect for some diligent research here.
“I’ve reviewed over 50 sticky toffee puddings” is an incredibly powerful way to begin a video
February 12, 2026 at 1:32 AM
So, as I said, complicated. There was certainly room for Polanski as we know him to be within the LibDem tent.

Link for the above screenshots:
www.libdems.org.uk/history
Our History
Learn where the Liberal Democrats came from, where we've been, and where we are now.
www.libdems.org.uk
February 12, 2026 at 1:24 AM
It's also apparent it was that wing of the party that had set the tone for much of the 2010 manifesto.
February 12, 2026 at 1:24 AM
The LibDems' own official history speaks to the two main wings of the party at the time. I think it's pretty clear which wing Polanski would have been on.
February 12, 2026 at 1:24 AM
This is a pretty good article that details disquiet in the party and the kind of promises the leadership had to make for the next LibDem manifesto, by the way.
www.theguardian.com/politics/201...
Nick Clegg persuades Lib Dems to stick with austerity
Deputy prime minister wins controversial motion saying party was right to back public spending cuts to reduce deficit
www.theguardian.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:15 AM
... what you believe, that's really what you believe.
February 12, 2026 at 12:58 AM
... good argument can be made for the idea certainly, it's entirely logical, factual in its evidence, and not unreasonable.

So if that's what you believe, so be it. I thought there was more in that link I gave you but yes, you're right, it's insufficient counterevidence.

So if that's really...
February 12, 2026 at 12:58 AM
... alternatives), and the LibDems paid with a few elections in the wilderness. Again, rightly.

But do I think their hearts and souls were in austerity? No, not really. Do I believe Polanski is a secret austerian cosplaying a belief in redistributive measures? Again no, not really.

But yes, a...
February 12, 2026 at 12:58 AM
Okay.

I think we oversimplify a complicated period of politics.

There's no denying Clegg was a numpty for doing a deal with Cameron, but I don't think the LibDems' heart was ever in austerity.

He paid for it rightly with his political career, (though he swanned off to more lucrative...
February 12, 2026 at 12:58 AM
People were warning Blair about Mandelson as far back as during his bid to become leader.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Blair hid Mandelson from us with code name, says ex-Liverpool MP
Peter Kilfoyle had worked on Tony Blair's leadership bid on condition Peter Mandelson was not involved.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 11, 2026 at 10:47 PM
We have to remember his entire existence is predicated upon saying who he is not. He is not Corbyn... Johnson... Truss... Sunak... now Badenoch.

If he stops saying who he isn't, then there's nothing left, and he will disappear in a puff of blue smoke.
February 11, 2026 at 10:38 PM
No worries. It's the same plan as in the rest of Europe. Try to come up with a European defence structure to migrate to if we can become self-sufficient. Otherwise, we remain in NATO.

The 'The Greens want to leave NATO!' line is a misrepresentation put out for political reasons.
February 11, 2026 at 10:30 PM
Reposted by Pete Marchetto
🚨 POSTAL VOTER 🚨 Action Day in Gorton & Denton WITH ZACK POLANSKI 💚

Start: Thursday, February 12, 2026•10:00 AM

End: Thursday, February 12, 2026•08:00 PM

Location: HQ • 173 Mount Road, Manchester, M18 7QT GB
🚨 POSTAL VOTER 🚨 Action Day in Gorton & Denton 💚 Thurs 12 Feb
We have just ONE DAY to reach every postal voter in Gorton & Denton. This is POLLING DAY for the thousands of postal voters across the constituency. If you can only make one day this week, this is...
actionnetwork.org
February 11, 2026 at 7:32 PM
Everyone makes poor predictions. The trick is to never admit to having done so.

Lie.

Above all, NEVER repeat them when they've been shown to be untrue.

Honesty can go too far, you know. You'll only regret it.
February 11, 2026 at 10:24 PM
He's not wrong. Celts, Angles, Saxons, Vikings and even - God help us - the French. Not to mention my lot... well, half of me's lot... but at least we civilised the country.

Wode, FFS. Peasants.
February 11, 2026 at 10:06 PM
Excellent podcast. They're both barmy, but somehow that's a refreshingly different given they don't have any nuclear buttons.
February 11, 2026 at 10:02 PM
I already added you.

That means, when I go with my mates to watch you in some stadium, I get to say 'I was following that Peter Geoghegan when he was banging out Christmas card greetings in his mum's potting shed.'
February 11, 2026 at 9:13 PM
Excellent podcast. They're both quite barmy but somehow that's a refreshing change given they don't have any nuclear buttons.
Even Mandelson’s dog’s embarrassed.

Find The Trawl wherever you get your podcasts 🙌
February 11, 2026 at 9:11 PM
... that, though he's right, all it's done is lead to semantic arguments with those with a limited vocabulary - or pretending to have one - which just wastes everyone's time.

Let's face it, when people don't have good arguments, they will resort to bad ones as a distraction.
February 11, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Yep, 'fraid so.

He's not perfect, he makes mistakes. And doing this was certainly one of them.

His argument is that populists identify an abusive minority and defend the majority against them. Thus his argument is he is a populist but Farage, one of the abusive minority, is not.

Trouble is...
February 11, 2026 at 6:47 PM
There's just something so gross about these people.

Can you imagine someone like THAT turning up at a dinner party? You'd never invite them again and spend the next six months apologising to the other guests for having invited them in the first place.

She sounds drunk.
House Dems are attempting to stop Bondi filibustering questions on the Epstein files.

Raskin: "Not on our watch. Not on our time... I told you about that Attorney General before it started."

Bondi: "You don't tell me anything!"

Raskin: "I did tell you because we saw what you did in the Senate!"
February 11, 2026 at 6:42 PM